Inventor. "Father of GI Joe." As head of Hasbro Toys Research and Development team, Mr. Levine took the idea of GI Joe and created the first action figure in the world. The first model was an 11 1/2-inch figure with 21 moving parts. The idea came to him when he decided to honor war veterans, as most of the men working for Hasbro at the time were veterans. Mr. Levine himself served in the Army in Korea. Most of the figures wore the outfits of Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines, and included extras such as vehicles, guns and helmets. The GI Joe action figure became a huge seller at Christmas 1964 for $4.00 each. In the late 1960s, the popularity of GI Joe diminished because of opposition to the war in Vietnam, so Hasbro included SCUBA gear and explorer outfits, as well as adding life-like hair and Kung-Fu poses to the figure. GI Joe was an American classic, and the brand was extended to comic books, movies, cartoons, a collectors' club, and an annual GI Joe convention in Dallas, TX. GI Joe is now produced in 12 inch and 3 ¾ inch models and has remained popular for 50 years. (bio by: Daddys♥Girl)